Crimping machine



Nov. 24, 1964 D. M. BALSAM ETAL 3,158,189

CRIMPING MACHINE Filed Nov. 20, 1962 3 Sheets-Sheet l INVENTORS DAVIS M- BALSAH IRVING SHEROFF BY ALEXANDER SHATZ L ATTORNEYS Nov. 24, 1964 D. M. BALSAM ETAL 3,158,189

CRIMPING MACHINE Filed Nov. 20, 1962 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTORS oAv/s M. BALSAH IRVING SHEROFF BY ALEXANDER SHATZ lj wi y ATTORNEYS Nov. 24, 1964 o. BALSAM ETAL 3,158,189

CRIMPING MACHINE 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 Filed Nov. 20, 1962 -1NVENTOR.S plans a. BALSAM mw SHEROF BY ALE NDER SH 2 ATTORNEYS Uited States Patent 3,158,189 CRIMPENG MACHINE Davis M. Balsam, 21-51 33rd Road, Long island City, NY; Irving Sherofi, 3804 Bedford Ave, Brooklyn 29, N.Y.; and Alexander Shatz, 22tl54 77th Ave, Bayside, NY.

Filed Nov. 29, 1962, Ser. No. 238,884 3 Claims. (Cl. 1531) The invention relates to the crimping machine art, and is more particularly concerned with improvements in a machine of the type which crimps closure elements or clasps about the ends of handles, belts, straps, or the like.

Leather or plastic handles such as for womens pocketbooks, and belts and straps of all types, are well known. Such items may be formed with a loop at either end to receive a generally metallic ring, for example, to be attached to a pocketbook, thus to be retained thereon. The said loop may be formed as by doubling over the opposite ends of the pliable handle beltor strap, and locking the ends in that position with one or more metallic closure elements possibly coated with a plastic material.

It is a primary object of this invention to provide a crimping machine of the type described which receives a continuous length of relatively stiff material, divides the material into predetermined lengths, and crimps the said material about a predetermined portion of a formed handle, belt, strap, or the like.

Another object hereof is to describe a machine as above set forth that will operate relatively automatically.

It is a still more specific object of this invention to provide a machine of the character described for forming closure elements from a continuous length of material, for delivering the closure elements into position to receive a member, and for constricting the said closure element securely about the said member.

Still another object is to set forth a machine for fabricating a series of handles or belts, which machine includes a cooperating closure forming and applying mechanism, the closure forming and applying mechanism having a forming anvil, means for preforming severed lengths of a closure material on said anvil, and means for constricting said closure element about'a handle formation.

With these objects in view, the invention consists of the novel features of construction and arrangement of parts which will appear in the following specification and recited in the appended claims, reference being had to the accompanying drawings in which the same reference numerals indicate the same parts throughout the various figures and in which:

FIG. 1 is a front elevational view of a portion of a machine embodying the principles of this invention.

FIG. 2 is a side elevational view of a portion of the device illustrated in FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 is an enlarged fragmentary view of the closure crimping tool.

FIG. 4 is a fragmentary sectional view takensubstantially along line 4-4 of FIG. 3.

FIG. 5 is a sectional view taken substantially along line 55 of FIG. 4.

FIG. 6 is an enlarged view in perspective of the closure member forming anvil removed from the remainder of the device.

FIG. 7 is a sectional view showing the position of the closure member and forming anvil parts just prior to their activation and with a strip of closure member material therebetween.

FIG. 8 is a fractional sectional view of the parts shown in FIG. 7 just after the severing and preforming of a closure member.

FIG. 9 is a fractional view on an enlarged scale corresponding to FIG. 8 but showing the insertion of the doubled over handle material.

FIG. 10 is a fractional sectional view on an enlarged scale of the parts shown in FIG. 9 after an intermediate step in the forming of the closure member.

FIG. 11 is a fractional sectional view on an enlarged scale corresponding to FIG. 10 showing a final step in the formation of the closure member.

FIG. 12 is a front elevational view of a typical handle assembled with a closure member as applied by this machine thereon.

Referring to the drawings, there is illustrated a machine having embodied therein the principal features of the invention which is particularly adapted to fabricate a closure member as for a handle, belt, strap, or the like, and installing the same by encircling the closure member about a doubled over portion of the handle, or the like, as from a continuous strip of closure member material, severed into predetermined lengths, preformed, and then crimped about the doubled over portion of the handle.

The machine of FIGS. 1-11 is supported on a generally rectangular upstanding frame having suitable brackets thereon to support the parts to be described hereinafter.

The material for forming the closure members 10 preferably is applied to the form of a continuous strip of material 11 from a roll 12. The strip of material 11 may consist of a relatively rigid metal or metal encased in a plastic film. The metal should have the property of retaining its shape when formed.

The roll 12 is supported on a bracket 14 for free rotation. The strip of material 11 must be intermittently advanced to the forming portion of the machine by any preselected mechanism. There is shown in FIG. 1 of the drawings, one method of intermittently advancing a predetermined length of a strip of material but it is to be emphasized that any other material advancing device may be substituted therefor.

A horizontally mounted actuating cylinder 15 is operatively attached by means of a shaft 16 to a material grasping member 13. The said material grasping member 18 is adapted to ride over a stationary support 19 having a stationary material grasping member 20 thereon.

It will be seen that the material grasping member 13 has a pivoting spring biased contact 21 thereon. When the material grasping member 18 moves away from the actuating'cylinder 15, the contact 21 will tend to move with the urging of the spring toward a vertical position. When in that position, it will press downward against the strip of material 11 and thus tend to urge the strip of material 11 along with the material grasping member 18.

A duplicate spring biased Contact 22 installed upon the stationary material grasping member 20 will prevent the movement of the strip of material 11 during the return stroke of the actuating cylinder 15, its shaft 16, and the moving material grasping member 18.

Thus, it will be seen that a mechanism is here provided to advance the strip of material 11 during the advance of the shaft 16 but to prevent movement of the strip of material 11 during the return stroke of the shaft 16.

It will be noted that the particulars of the immediately above-described mechanism have not been set forth in great detail in that it is relatively standard and any other well known material advancing mechanism may be substituted therefor.

The strip of material 11 must be severed and preformed as the initial step in the formation of the closure member or band. The mechanism for the same includes actuating cylinders 24 and 25, a preforming tool 26, a compound tool 28 and an anvil 2d.

The anvil 29 is rigidly mounted in a fixed position and will receive the predetermined length of advancing strip of material as shown in FIGS. 1 and 7. As will be noted particularly in FIG. 7, the strip of material 11 will be relatively flat and will lie upon upper portions 30 of the anvil 29. A pivoting preforming tool 26 operatively connected to activating cylinder 24 (see FIG. 2) will sever a predetermined length of the strip of material 11 from the remainder thereof and preform the same.

Referring to FIG. 2, the preforming tool 26 will be pivoted at 31 on a suitable bracket 32 as by a pin or the like. One end 35 of the said preforming tool 26 is operatively connected to the vertically reciprocating shaft 37 of the actuating cylinder 24. The other end 36 of the preforming tool 26 will be positioned immediately above the anvil 29 and will be constructed the form of an axially extending U with a pro-selected lower form.

As will be seen in FIG. 7, the lower portion of the end 37 of the preforming tool 26 will be downwardly tapered and a mating portion 38 of the anvil portion will be inwardly tapered to compress and preform the closure member therebetween. One portion 33 of the preforming tool 26 will have a relatively sharp edge to mate with a sharp corner 40 of the anvil 29 to sever the strip of material therebetween.

Thus, referring to FIG. 8, when cylinder 24- and its shaft 37 are urged upward, the other end of the preforming tool 26 is urged downward against the anvil 29 severing a length of closure member material 41, and preforming the same with rounded upturned edges.

After the completion of the preforming of the length of closure member material 41 as hereinabove set forth, the preforming tool 26 is returned to its initial position by the extending of the shaft 37 of the activating cylinder 24.

Referring now to FIG. 9, an operator will either automatically or by hand, feed a doubled over loop of handle material or the like 42, immediately above the preformed length of closure member material 41.

A compound tool 28 vertically above the doubled over layer of handle material 42 and the preformed length of closure member material 41 will now be activated to constrict the closure member material 41 about the said doubled over layer of handle material 42 in a locking manner.

Referring now particularly to FIGS. 3, 4 and 5 of the drawings, it may be seen that the compound tool 28 will have two separate forming members and 51 separately operated by a single actuating cylinder 25.

The forming member 50 is an inverted T-shaped pres sure pad relatively thin in cross section; It may be fastened to the longitudinally positioned shaft 52 by the set screws 53 and 54. A portion of the shaft 52 is retained within the hollow inside portion 55 of the compound tool 28 by means of a cover plate 56 having an opening 57 therein sufficiently large to permit the longitudinal reciprocation of the shaft 52. The cover plate 56 is affixed by means of fastening screws 58.

A spring 59 will spirally encompass the enclosed portion of a reduced section 62 of the shaft 52. The said spring 59 is contained within the hollow portion 55 of the compound tool 28 between the inside surface 60 of the cover plate 56 and a ledge 61 where the reduced section of the shaft 52 begins.

A stop plate 63 is rigidly connected to the upper end of the shaft 52. This may be accomplished by means of a pin 64, as illustrated in FIG. 5.

Referring particularly to FIG. 3, a connector member will be provided to rigidly attach compound tool 28 to the vertically reciprocating shaft 71 of the actuating cylinder 25. Thus, when the shaft 71 moves in a vertical direction the body of the compound tool 28 will move a like amount in the vertical direction.

However, it is necessary that the forming member 59 move during only a fractional portion of the travel. In order to effect this purpose, a fixed ledge 72 is provided in the downward path of travel of the stop plate 63. When the stop plate 63 vertically contacts the upper portion of fixed ledge 72, further downward movement of the forming member 50 will be stopped. The remainder of the compound tool 28 may continue its downward descent,

however, causing relative movement of the longitudinally positioned shaft 52 and the forming member 50 relative to the remainder of the compound tool 28 and the shaft 71 against the urging of the compression spring 59.

Referring now particularly to the anvil shown in elevation in FIGS. 7-11 there will be seen that the anvil 29 will be generally U shaped, except for the mating poo tion 38 thereof heretofore described to preform the closure member. The anvil 29 is rectangular in horizontal cross-section.

Shown particularly in FIGS. 9 and 10 is the operation of the forming member 50. The forming member 50 will be adapted and positioned to engage the preformed closure member material 41 and the doubled over loop of handle material 42 and drive the same downwardly into the U portion 74 of the anvil 29, as heretofore more fully described. The urging of the closure member material 41 downward will cause the bending of the outer-' most extremities and the parts will assume the rounded contour shown particularly in FIG. 10, the U portion acting as a cam against the closure member material 41 for this purpose.

As mentioned heretofore, during the initial portion of the descent of the shaft 71 of the actuating cylinder 25, the entire compound tool 28 including the forming member 50 will equally descend. When the lower inverted T-shaped end of the forming member 50 reaches the position shown in FIG. 11, the stop plate 63 will contact the fixed ledge 72 preventing any further downward movement of the forming member 50 portion of the compound tool 28. The remainder of the tool including the the second forming member 51 will continue its downward descent for a short distance.

The lower portion of the second forming member 51 will be formed as a portion of a pair of truncated horizontal cylinders as shown particularly in FIGS. 4, 10 and 11. The continued downward descent of the second forming member 51 will thus cause engagement with the closure member material 41 and the handle material 42 causing the external ends of the closure member material 41 to buckle downward and thereby lock the doubled over loop of handle material 42.

After the parts have assumed the position shown in FIG. 11, the compound tool 28 may be withdrawn by means of an upward movement of the vertical recipro eating shaft '71 and the finished closure element will be ejected either by hand or automatically as will be described below.

An automatic eject feature is illustrated in FIGS. 1 and 6 of the drawings. As illustrated a vertical shaft will be provided extending upward through the larger opening 81 in the anvil 29. The opening 81 will terminate at the lowermost portion of the U 24.

The said vertical shaft 80 will be urged upward and into the U by means of a compression spring 82 below the anvil and supported by a fixed bracket 84. The said compression spring 82 will be relatively light and will be urged easily downward by the descent of the compound tool 28. When the compound tool 28 assumes its lowermost position, the upper portion of the vertical shaft 80 will be within the anvil 29. When the compound tool 28 is removed, the compression spring 82 will cause the.

vertical shaft 80 to rise automatically ejecting the finished closure member 10.

It will be seen, therefore, that there is provided herein a device which will accomplish all of the objects previously set forth. The machine will preformthe length of closure member material, receive the doubled over loop of handle material or the like and crimp the closure member material about the handle material relatively automatically, thereby locking the loop of the handle material.

In that the closure material is preformed on the same anvil that locks the. same about the handle material any irregularities or defects will be automatically compen sated for.

Further, the anvil and preiorming dies may be shaped to give any desired contour to the severed portions of the closure member material. In one embodiment of the invention already depicted, the closure member material was serrated at its severed portions to insure better locking when crimped into the handle.

While there are above disclosed but a limited number of embodiments of the structure and product of the invention herein presented, it is possible to produce still other embodiments without departing from the inventive concept herein disclosed, and it is desired, therefore, that only such limitations be imposed on the appended claims as are stated therein, or required by the prior art.

Having thus described our invention and illustrated its use, what we claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. In a machine for crimping closure member material about a handle, the combination of an anvil die, first means for urging closure member material partially into said anvil die thereby pretorming and severing the same, second means for urging said closure member material further into said anvil die thereby causing said closure member material to partially encircle a handle, third means for urging said closure member material to the bottom of said anvil die causing said closure member material to lock into said handle, wherein said second means is partially contained within said third means and connected thereto by a compression spring, stop means to discontinue the action of said second means at a predetermined point, and means to actuate said third means whereby said second means and said third means will be actuated together until said second means is halted by said step means.

2. In a machine for crimping closure member material about a handle, the combination of an anvil die, first means for urging closure member material partially into 3 said anvil die thereby preforming and severing the same,

second means for urging said closure member material further into said die thereby causing said closure member material to partially encircle a handle, third means for urging said closure member material to the bottom of said anvil die causing said closure member material to lock into said handle, wherein said first means includes a reciprocating shaft connected to one end of a horizontally pinned bar, the other end of said bar thereby co-acting with said anvil die to preform said closure member material, said second means being partially contained within said third means and connected thereto by a compression spring, step means to discontinue the action of said second means at a predetermined point, and means to actuate the said third means whereby said third means will be actuated together until said second means is halted by said stop means.

3. A machine for crimping closure member material about a handle as set forth in claim 2, further including means cooperating with said anvil to eject said closure member material and said handle at the completion of the crimping.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 448,748 3/91 Comings 113-51 1,677,968 7/28 Hughes 153-1 2,689,400 9/54 Mirando 1819 3,051,213 8/62 Batcheller 153-1 FOREIGN PATENTS 899,305 8/44 France. 1,006,509 1/52 France.

2,3 81 4/61 Switzerland.

CHARLES VJ. LANHAM, Examiner. 

1. IN A MACHINE FOR CRIMPING CLOSURE MEMBER MATERIAL ABOUT A HANDLE, THE COMBINATION OF AN ANVIL DIE, FIRST MEANS FOR URGING CLOSURE MEMBER MATERIAL PARTIALLY INTO SAID ANVIL DIE THEREBY PREFORMING AND SEVERING THE SAME, SECOND MEANS FOR URGING SAID CLOSURE MEMBER MATERIAL FURTHER INTO SAID ANVIL DIE THEREBY CAUSING SAID CLOSURE MEMBER MATERIAL TO PARTIALLY ENCIRCLE A HANDLE, THIRD MEANS FOR URGING SAID CLOSURE MEMBER MATERIAL TO THE BOTTOM OF SAID ANVIL DIE CAUSING SAID CLOSURE MEMBER MATERIAL TO LOCK INTO SAID HANDLE, WHEREIN SAID SECOND MEANS IS PARTIALLY CONTAINED WITHIN SAID THIRD MEANS AND CONNECTED THERETO BY A COMPRESSION SPRING, STOP MEANS TO DISCONTINUE THE ACTION OF SAID SECOND MEANS AT A PREDETERMINED POINT, AND MEANS TO ACTUATE SAID THIRD MEANS WHEREBY SAID SECOND MEANS AND SAID THIRD MEANS WILL BE ACTUATED TOGETHER UNTIL SAID SECOND MEANS IS HALTED BY SAID STOP MEANS. 